What’s unique about BetterTouchTool is that not only does it come with an extensive list of Shortcuts actions for controlling the app’s functionality, but it also can run shortcuts itself. I’m more excited about BetterTouchTool’s Shortcuts integration than almost any other app. That’s a simple example, but with the range of actions available along with AppleScript and support for new features like Quick Note, GoodLinks is an excellent companion to anyone who saves a lot of links. Of these, I’ve found Get Tagged Links the most useful because it allows me to do simple things like summoning a list of media links I’ve tagged with ‘Unwind’ to find something to recommend on MacStories Unwind each Friday. The app includes the following Shortcuts actions: It’s a second inbox, which I was hesitant to take on, but I’ve found that the app’s excellent share and Safari extensions, plus its support for Shortcuts, AppleScript, and modern technologies on every platform, have made it an indispensable tool for wrangling links. Lately, I’ve been using it for all those links I want to save for later that aren’t reading material. I’ve used GoodLinks on and off ever since I first reviewed it. Like OmniFocus, which uses Shortcuts actions to run its own automation system, Drafts Actions can be invoked from Shortcuts too. Drafts’ UI is highly customizable, so it should come as no surprise that its Shortcuts actions are replete with parameters to automate setting up your documents and workspace just as you want them:Įxamples of the sort of shortcuts that are possible on the Mac can be found in the Drafts community forums, such as this one for publishing workspaces to the file system.Īctions are a sort of plugin system for Drafts that allows users to extend the app’s functionality to suit their needs. With Ulysses and Bear, Drafts forms a trio of apps that have gone further than most in adopting an approach designed to provide their users with as much flexibility as possible when creating shortcuts. The second creates materials sheets, a concept added last year, which associates ancillary materials with a document you are creating. The first is the ability to add images to a sheet. Ulysses adds two new actions across all platforms too. The app also uses a system of group and sheet identifiers that allow users to grab specific items and manipulate them with Shortcuts. Ulysses makes good use of parameters to give users the flexibility to add content like images and keywords to a sheet. The complete list of actions available on the Mac includes: In fact, Ulysses’ Shortcuts support is so extensive it wasn’t possible to capture it all in a single screenshot. Ulysses is one of the Mac’s premier text editors, so I was glad to see it add extensive support for Shortcuts. It’s early days for Shortcuts on the Mac, and I’m sure we’ll see even more of our favorite apps jump on board, which we’ll continue to cover here and for Club MacStories members. Some of these will be familiar if you’ve used these apps’ counterparts on the iPhone or iPad, but many are brand new to any platform, while others are Mac-exclusive. To get you started, I’ve rounded up some of the most interesting Shortcuts integrations I’ve found so far. Apple added a lot of built-in system actions that it brought over from Automator, with which you can build some interesting shortcuts, but the diversity of options has grown exponentially with the release of updated third-party apps. That’s especially true now because there is a long list of third-party apps that have added support for Shortcuts on the Mac. If you go into it with reasonable expectations, start off simple, and are patient, there’s a lot that can be accomplished. There’s an excellent mix of apps built with everything from AppKit and Mac Catalyst, as well as apps available on and off the Mac App Store.Īs I explained in my Monterey review, Shortcuts is still rough around the edges, but that’s not to say its unusable. That’s reflected in the first wave of apps I’ve tried that support Shortcuts. One of the strengths of Shortcuts on the Mac is that it isn’t limited by the way an app is built.
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